Conference update
Thank you to all the presenters and delegates who attended the State Heritage Conference on 12 and 13 May. The Heritage Council of Western Australia, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee and Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage hope you found it beneficial.
At the request of the presenter, the following presentations were not recorded:
Day 1
Concurrent session 2
- Empowering Country: Redefining cultural mapping through data sovereignty, Sharleah Ramirez
Day 2
- Wadjemup Wirin Bidi | Spirit Trail Aboriginal-Led Healing Journey, Karen Jacobs and Farley Garlett
Concurrent session 3
- Reflections on a definition, Osnat Harlap
- Cease and Desist; nail the 'so what?' test before interpreting heritage, Kylie Christian
- Stabilisation of the Bristle Kilns, chimney stacks and tunnels, Dinah Mujati and Simon Jewel
Concurrent session 4
- Central Greenough on Yamatji Country: The evolving heritage values of a 'historic hamlet', Leanne Brass
Concurrent session 5
- Our horrible asylum, Fiona Giles
View the recording of the presentations
Program
The program schedule and presentation summaries are now available. Please note that the program is subject to change.
State Heritage Conference keynote speaker
Dr Steve Brown, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Creative and Cultural Research, University of Canberra, and Special Advisor at GML Heritage will be the keynote speaker for the 2025 State Heritage Conference.
An internationally recognised archaeologist and heritage studies expert, Dr Brown is known for his research on cultural landscapes, place attachment, and his work in the fields of world heritage and Australian Indigenous archaeology. He was the lead author of the successful Budj Bim Cultural Landscape World Heritage nomination and served as the Australian Co-chair of the ICOMOS General Assembly 2023 Scientific Symposium.
Currently, Dr Brown is a researcher with the Australian Research Council Everyday Heritage Linkage Project (2022-2025), a study concerned with the places and things that ordinary people value, and the importance of the everyday in heritage processes and practice.
Presentation Summaries
About the Conference
The 2025 State Heritage Conference, hosted by the Heritage Council of Western Australia, the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee and the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage, will take place at The Esplanade Hotel, adjacent to Fremantle’s historic West End precinct.
Delegates will have the chance to explore the stunning streetscapes of the West End, one of Australia’s best-preserved 19th-century gold boom towns. It is among the largest sites permanently listed on the Western Australian State Register of Heritage Places.
The conference theme, The Heritage Ecosystem, highlights the evolving values of Western Australia’s cultural heritage. Attendees will have valuable opportunities to network and discuss emerging trends and future projects in the sector.
Heritage lies at the heart of an ecosystem that connects diverse fields such as environmental sciences, economics, education and technology. Over time, these fields have influenced the way heritage is preserved, shaping practices that safeguard history for future generations.
For further enquiries, please contact the heritage services team at heritagesupport@dplh.wa.gov.au or 6551 8002.
Accommodation in Fremantle
For information about Fremantle and accommodation options close to the conference venue, visit Fremantle Visitor Centre - Tourism Western Australia.
Stay updated
Stay updated by following the Heritage Council on LinkedIn or signing up for the Heritage Matters enewsletter, where details about the conference program and public registration will be announced.
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